Fall of 5% in Irish exports marks first decline in a decade

Unadjusted exports fell by €2.1bn, driven primarily by a 5% drop in medical and pharmaceutical products

Exports to Great Britain fell by 22% alone in the month of April, with exports to the US dropping by just under a quarter.

A decrease of 5% across all categories of Irish exports marks the State's first decline in trade in almost a decade, with pharmaceutical products seeing the largest dip in foreign demand.

Totalling €66bn in the first four months of 2023, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show the decline was primarily driven by a €5bn fall in exports of medical and pharmaceutical products, followed by a €1.5bn drop in electrical machinery and equipment.